Environmental Evidence of Abuse or Neglect

Nursing homes must ensure their residents have clean bedding and clothes. If your loved one’s room appears dirty or he or she is in soiled clothes and bedsheets, this could be a sign of neglect. Make sure the facility is clean and in working order during your visits. If you notice clutter in common areas, soiled sheets, and clothing, or the staff seem uninterested in keeping the rooms clean, these could be indications that they are neglecting your loved one.

Staff and Resident Behavior

If you have concerns about abuse in your loved one’s nursing home, try to ask other residents about their experiences. If they seem hesitant to talk, this could be a sign that an abusive environment exists in the facility. Ask staff members about your concerns as well. This can give you a better idea of what goes on at the nursing home when you are not there.

Bedsores

Bedsores are pressure ulcers that form when an individual remains in bed for too long without moving. Many nursing home residents must remain in bed for most or all of the day, and staff must regularly reposition them to prevent bedsores from forming. Bedsores can worsen very quickly and can rupture, leaving your loved one vulnerable to infection. If your loved one has developed bedsores, this could indicate that staff is neglecting their duties and not repositioning your loved one as needed.

Keep an eye out for these warning signs and anything else that stands out to you as strange during your nursing home visits. It’s important to keep in touch with your elderly loved ones and stay vigilant for signs of abuse so you can put a stop to it as soon as possible.

Robert Norfleet
Helping Kansas City area medical malpractice, car accident, wrongful death and personal injury clients.